Hurt and Love
by ella nchanted
Summary: It's their seventh year, and Hermione Granger is Head Girl this year. But she is returning only just shortly after the death of her parents; in which time an unexpected friendship appeared, but will that friendship be something more?
1. Prologue

"See you in a week, dear!"

"BYE!" Hermione stood at the door of her parents home in London on Saturday morning, waving goodbye to them. They were leaving for Aspen for a week, and would be back right around the time she'd get her letter from Hogwarts with her list for her Seventh and final year. She could only hope that she had become Head Girl, being a Prefect the past two years.

Smiling, Hermione walked back into the house to go relax for a bit before meeting up with Ginny at the cafe in Diagon Alley.

*3 days later*

_Knock, knock._ It was Mid-afternoon on Tuesday morning. "Coming," Hermione called. She opened the door, only to come face-to-face with two officers of the London Metropolitan Police Force. "May I help you, officers?" Hermione asked, slightly skeptical.

"Actually, yes," the taller of the two said. "We're looking for a Hermione Jean Granger?"

"Yes, that would be me." Hermione was beginning to get really skeptical now. If any law enforcement should be dealing with her, it would be the Magical Law Enforcement. "May I help you gentlemen?"

The shorter of the two looked at the floor, while the taller one kept speaking. Hermione figured he was the Superior Officer in this case. "Miss, the names Jean Susan Granger and Alexander Darell Granger mean anything to you?"

"Yes," she said, stepping outside the door a bit more. "They're my parents, they're in Aspen right now, they'll be home Friday. May I inquire as to your question?"

The two officers looked at one another before the Superior officer turned back to her. "I'm so sorry to tell you this, Miss Granger. But, you're parents will not be returning home." He sighed. "May we come in?"

Hermione nodded, letting them in with a slightly confused and shocked look on her face. "May I go call my, um... My Aunt? She's my legal guardian in case... In case anything-" She stopped, not being able to finish her sentence. The officer nodded. "I'll be back. Please, make yourselves, um, comfortable in the, uh... In the living room..." She drifted off of her sentence, running up the stairs.

When she got to her room, she quickly grabbed a piece of parchment and scribbled down a note to her "aunt".

_Professor~_

My parents chose you in dire times... Now is a dire time. Please, hurry to my parents but be careful; the London Law Enforcement is in the living room.

~Hermione Granger

P.S.  
I called you on the TELEPHONE!

She quickly attached it to the owl's leg, and sent it out her window. After which, she ran back down the stairs and into the living room.

"She'll be here shortly," she said, more to herself than the officers. She looked up. "A cup of tea while we wait?" Both officers nodded, and she went into the kitchen to make four cups of tea, knowing that her Professor would want some to when they got there.

Not mere minutes later, there was a knock on the door. After setting the tea down in front of the officers, she ran to the door, quickly swinging it open. "Hermione," the person on the other side of the door said. "What is going on?" They could clearly tell she was ready to cry.

Hermione threw her arms around the teacher. "Oh, Aunt Minerva," she said a little loudly so that the officers would hear, and McGonagall would get the message. McGonagall understood, and wrapped her arms around the child.

"Come now," she said. "Have you heard what happened?" Hermione shook her head. "Then let us go find out." Hermione nodded, shutting the door behind McGonagall. "Good day," she said to the two officers. "I'm her aunt, Minerva McGonagall."

The Superior officer stood, taking her hand. "Lieutenant Randal," he said, sitting back down. "No doubt, your niece told you what we told her?"

"No, I'm afraid she didn't. She was in tears, uh, on the telephone," McGonagall said, having hardly a clue as to what she was talking about. "All she said was that it was an emergency and she need me as soon as possible. Her parents are to be home Friday, can this not wait until then?" McGonagall looked to Hermione, who's eyes welled again with tears and then her head fell into her hands. "They're not coming home, are they?" she asked, looking back to the officers.

Lieutenant Randal sighed. "There was an accident yesterday," he said, remorse covering his words. "The details are still to be known yet as to exactly what happened. But, we were informed of the fatalities of Mr. and Mrs. Granger, and told that we needed to let the family know immediately. But," he said, looking to a sobbing Hermione. "We had no idea that this included a sixteen year old girl."

McGonagall sighed. "She goes back to school in September. The first, to be exact. Her parents named me as legal guardian should anything happen."

"Yes, that is what Miss Granger told us before she called you." The Lieutenant looked back to McGonagall. "But, because we have not been able to have anyone take a look at their wills yet, she will need somewhere to stay. Is there anyway possible that you can take her on immediately?"

"Of course," McGonagall said. "She will come with me straight away." She looked over to the girl, who was now watching them all. "Hermione, are you alright?" She nodded a little before shaking her head and bursting into tears again. "Come here, dear," she said, taking Hermione into her arms. "You'll let us know at any new developments?"

"Of course," the Lieutenant said. "Is there somewhere we can reach you at?"

"Yes, but my telephone is actually about to be turned off. If I may suggest, please tell Kingsley Sacklebolt the news. He works in the Minister's office as his assistant; he's a dear friend and neighbor of mine. He will get the news to me."

"Of course, we will do that," Lieutenant Randal said. "Um, we shall see ourselves out then. Give you both some time."

"Thank you," McGonagall said. After both officers left, Hermione's sobbing grew a little.

"Oh, Professor... I'll never... They won't..." Hermione began to sob even harder, not able to finish her sentences.

"Hermione," she said gently, "you know what you may call me. I've said it since your parents made the decision." Hermione laughed a bit, smiling a little and nodding.

"Yes, Aunt Minerva," she whispered.

"Now," McGonagall said. "Go pack your things, and I'll send them to my home. I'll come get you from Diagon Alley after I quickly redo the house, okay?"

Hermione nodded and ran upstairs to quickly to pack her things, and leave to be in Diagon Alley for a bit. She came back downstairs, following her things. "I'm ready, Aunt Minerva."

McGonagall nodded. "Here," she said handing the girl some money, "buy yourself a coffee or something and I'll meet you there in no more than a couple hours." Hermione nodded, and went to the fireplace which had been specially connected for her, and flooed to Daigon Alley.


	2. Chapter 1: The Accidents

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has already faved this story! I really hope that you enjoy this next chapter! But remember, nothing but the plot line is mine; the characters and places are all property of J.K. Rowling**

He hadn't changed at all in six years; well, he had, but he'd gotten worse. The arrogance, the big-headiness, the snobbishness. WHAT in the name of Merlin was Dumbledore thinking? Making him and her Head Boy and Girl; they had never gotten along. They'd had a moment once, the day her parents died. But one moment doesn't change anyone for good.

_She sat at the table outside the cafe in Diagon Alley, waiting for McGonagall. She was sort of happy on this terrible day; at least she wasn't being thrown into some random person's home._

_She sniffed, looking at her coffee some more, when a shadow stood over her. "Granger? Crying? Oh, this is priceless." Hermione looked up into the blonde's eyes. "What did Pothead and Weasel do now?" He carried an obvious smirk._

_A fresh wave of tears came to her eyes, and she buried her face in her hands. Her two best friends hadn't even replied to her owls. Suddenly, his smirk fell and he sat down next to her. "Granger?" She lowered her hands into her lap, and continued to look down at them. He sighed, trying to look into her hazel eyes. "Hermione," he said gently. She looked up at him. Had he really just used her first name?_

"_What do you want, Malfoy?" She said, sniffing. "I'm not in the mood for your snide comments right now." His eyes softened a bit._

"_If anything I'm not doing today, it's being mean to you," he said. He reached out his hand to take hers. "You look really upset. What's going on?"_

_She sniffed a couple more times before another wave of tears came flowing down her cheeks. She closed her eyes and looked down, putting the hand Malfoy wasn't holding to her mouth. She took a shaky breath. "My parents," she whispered. "They went to Aspen for a week before I got my letter for school. They were going to be back Friday." The tears from her eyes began to fall faster. "Now I'll never see them again."_

_She let go of his hand to cover her face with both hands again. His heart went out to her. Nobody knew this, but Draco was no an only child. Well, he was now; but he wasn't supposed to be. His two twin ten-year-old sisters died in a freak accident when he was thirteen. _

_He reached out and took her into his arms. She froze for a moment before melting right into his arms and against his chest. He sighed. "You have somewhere to go, right?" _Where is this coming from? I hate her! But she looks so defenseless and hopeless right now, _he thought._

_She nodded into his shoulder. "McGonagall is my adopted aunt. She has been since my parents and I found out that I'm a witch. They put her in the will to take care of me if anything happened." _Aunt Minerva where are you? And why is Malfoy being so nice to me?

_Draco sighed. "Are you expecting her to be here soon?" Hermione pulled away from him nodding. "Okay," he said. "Will you be okay?" He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "You can owl me if you need someone."_

_She nodded. "Draco," she said as he began to walk away, he turned to look back at her. "Thank you." She smiled a bit, actually getting a __real_ _smile from Draco Malfoy in return._

_He walked away from her just as McGonagall walked up. "Hermione, dear," she said hugging her as she stood up. "How're you feeling?"_

_Hermione pulled away from her adoptive aunt. She looked towards where Malfoy had walked to. "I'm fine, Aunt Minerva. Can we go?" McGonagall nodded and they left Diagon Alley; Draco watching her the entire time._

Hermione now looked out the window of the Head's Carriage of the Hogwarts Express. They had just pulled out of King's Cross; Hermione had gone straight into her compartment in her carriage, since she no longer had any parents to really say goodbye to.

She heard the door open and close. Malfoy sat down across from her. It had only been three months since her parents died, and he had kept his promise about being there whenever she needed someone. She kept looking out the window, but he looked at her. "I got your letter right before we left," he said gently. "You okay?"

She wiped away an escaped tear. "Dad had a camera on him while they were skiing so they could show me what I missed," she whispered. "I watched them die." She wiped away more fallen tears. Draco's jaw fell a bit, and he quickly gathered her up in his arms.

"Mi, I'm so sorry," he said. Not many people knew that Malfoy had been there for her. "Are you okay? I didn't realize that was what you meant by Nightmare."

She nodded into his shoulder. "Draco, can I ask you something?"

"You know you can," he said.

She looked up at him. "Why have you been so nice to me? Why did you care so much when you found out what had happened?" She saw the tears glistening in his eyes.

He shook his head. "You needed someone, that's all." He straightened back up. "Um, I need to go see Snape. I'll be back," He quickly got up and left the compartment.

_He's hiding something, _she thought. _I wonder what..._

~*~H&L~*~_  
_

He walked through the carriages, checking on the Prefects. Weather he hated them or not, Dumbledore had chosen him as Head Boy; and hating those people or not, he wouldn't let Snape down at least.

He sighed, almost running into Pansy. "Hey Draco. What's wrong?" She said, catching his attention. He looked up and shrugged. Pansy eyed him wearily before seeing the tears that were beginning to form. "Are you thinking about-?" She stopped, seeing him nod. Only Pansy knew what had happened; she was the only one that Draco had been able to confide in.

"I just- I-" Draco couldn't finish his sentence because the tears started to overflow.

Pansy hugged him. "It wasn't your fault. You didn't start the fire. And there was no way you could have known they were in the guest house anyways."

Draco shook his head. "I was supposed to be watching them though, I should have known where they were at all times," he sobbed. After a minute or two, he pulled away from his best friend, who didn't even know that he had become Hermione's "Pansy". Draco cleared his throat. "Well, I should probably get back to that stupid, filthy Mudblood. Why would Dumbledore make HER Head Girl of all people?" He walked off in a huff.

Draco entered back into the Head's carriage just as Harry and Ron walked up behind him. "Hey, Hermione!" Ron said cheerfully. Hermione glanced over and scowled at him.

"Wow, Weasel," Draco sneered. "You must have really done something to piss Granger off." He laughed.

"Shut it, Malfoy!" Ron's face began to turn red with anger. "Just stay out of it, ferret!"

Draco made to lunge at Ron, but Harry stepped between the two enemies. "Quit it, Malfoy. Ron, let's go," he said. He looked at Hermione. "We'll see you later 'Mione..." Harry had to half-drag Ron out of the carriage.

"Stupid gits," Malfoy muttered. "How DARE they try to attack the Head Boy! I should dock them points for that... Maybe even detention..." He muttered a bit more under his breath before stretching out across the seat and closing his eyes.

Hermione shook her head, staring back out the window once again. _Same old Malfoy,_ she thought. _And to think, I almost actually believed his charade about just wanting to be there for me if I needed someone. _She sighed. _Just goes to show you that people don't change as easily as you think._


	3. Chapter 2: The Hurt

"_Draco! Draco where are you?" He could hear her sweet, captivating laughter as she tried to find him in the Hedge Maze at the Malfoy Manor._

_He heard his own laughter as he yelled back to her. "Try and catch me!" He heard her laughter again, this time a little closer, and he began to laugh along with her. _

_Suddenly, he was tackled to the ground, her laugh now directly in his ear. He laughed some more, rolling over onto his back as she lay on top of him. He brushed away a strand of her hair from her face, looking deep into her hazel eyes. _

_She stroked his cheek with her left hand, the four caret diamond ring glistening in the sunlight. He sighed a little while smiling. "I love you, Mi," he said. She gently kissed his lips. As she pulled away, he smiled. "The future Mrs. Hermione Malfoy."_

_She grinned. "I love you, too, future __married_ _Mr. Draco Malfoy... Malfoy... Malfoy..._

"MALFOY!"

"Gah!" Draco jumped slightly, waking up. _What a dream, _he thought. He looked up. "What?"

She threw his robes at him. "Hurry up and change, Malfoy, we're almost there." She spoke with a slight bitterness in her voice, before turning around and walking out of the compartment.

"What was that about?" He quietly asked himself out loud.

~*~*H&L~*~

"I honestly thought he changed! But he just never will! He's so childish, oh WHY did Dumbledore put us together as Head Boy and Girl?" Hermione was now in her Aunt's compartment venting to her. "And it's gotten worse! The arrogance, the stubbornness, the pig headiness. And with that badge that states 'Head Boy', his Ego is even bigger!"

"Yes, but he has changed, Hermione. He was there for you even when your two best friends were not." McGonagall replied.

Hermione scoffed. "Yeah, just so that he could get into my head and get a bunch of my life's secrets to use against me." She felt the train begin to slow. "Well, I must get back to the _ferret_..."

"Hermione!" But Hermione didn't even hear McGonagall, as she was already out the compartment door to get Malfoy so they could make sure all the students got into carriages, and the First Years to Hagrid.

~*~H&L~*~

The last students were getting into their carriages, and Draco was trying but failing to get through to Hermione.

"Mi," he said to her, again, after they got into their empty carriage. "Mi, come on. Talk to me! What's wrong?"

Hermione glared at him. "While you were sleeping, Ginny came in and told me what you told Pansy!" She quickly wiped away a tear that had unwillingly escaped. "How COULD you Draco?"

Draco slumped back into his seat. "I didn't mean it, Mi! I promise! I was just trying to keep up our act around everyone else and it... It slipped out, okay! Mi?"

Hermione shook her head, she still looked pissed. "Well, I don't need to keep up a charade anymore, now do I?" She huffed, and turned to look away from him.

"Fine!" He yelled. "Then go back to being a book wormy Mudblood! Merlin, I can't believe I even THOUGHT of you as my friend! You're nothing but an insult to the magic world." And with that, Draco turned away from her.

Hermione wiped away a silent tear that had fallen. He'd now said it twice in a matter of hours. _See? He hasn't changed! Whatever made me think that he could ever have changed and been decent? And that stupid dream! Why would I even ever be able to __believe_ _that THAT would happen? _Hermione continued to think to herself, until she suddenly found herself in a memory of the time that Malfoy actually HAD been there for her.

_Mi,_

_I wish I was there with you right now! I haven't heard from you in a couple days, I'm getting worried about you! I was glad that you invited me to the funeral; you could tell that you needed someone, and I'm glad it was me. I know you don't know why I'm so willing to do this for you, but maybe someday you will._

_Please write back, Mi... I'm so worried about you._

_Draco_

_She reread the letter and smiled. She'd ran out of the funeral in tears, hiding in a corner. When she'd heard a pair of footsteps, she tried to stay as quiet as possible; that was, until she felt arms around her. She opened her eyes, and looked directly into his gray ones. Tears had begun to well in her eyes again. "Draco," she whispered._

"_Shhh... It's alright, Mi," he whispered to her. She smiled again, getting a piece of parchment._

_Draco,_

_I'm okay, don't worry so much! You'll have to be admitted to St. Mungo's with as much as you worry about me! :) I've been sleeping the past couple days, the thought of never seeing my parents again is just draining._

_How're you? You seemed pretty upset at the funeral yourself..._

_Mi_

Hermione jumped out of the carriage, and stalked right into the Great Hall. She saw Harry and Ron, but ignored them both to go sit at the end near Neville, Luna, and Ginny.

Malfoy, on the other hand, half-sulked/half-stomped over to Pansy and Blaise. He stared at her intensely from across the room, fire burning in his eyes. But she was right, even in trying to keep up a charade, he shouldn't have called her that.

~*~H&L~*~

"This way, please," Dumbledore said. Hermione and Draco followed Professor Dumbledore to the Head's Common Room. They came to a stop in front of a painting of a waterfall with a young girl. "Ah, here we are."

"Password?" Her voice was airy, but she only looked sixteen or so.

"Snorklekack," replied Dumbledore. The girl moved away from the waterfall, and Dumbledore stepped through. The painting had a charm on it, making it so you could step though the painting without it actually swinging forward. "Ah, here we are," he said after they were in the Common Room. "Miss Granger, your living quarters is to the right; Mr. Malfoy, to the left. Get some rest, your Heads of Houses and I will meet with you precisely after lunch. Sleep well." And with that, he left the Common Room.

Hermione and Draco stared at each other for a minute; Draco's eyes pleading, while Hermione;s were full of pure hate. "Mi, I'm so, so sorry! Please," he whispered as though the Common Room were filled with more than just the two of them.

"Goodnight, Malfoy," she said with a slight bitterness in her voice. "See you tomorrow." She began to stalk up the stairs to her room.

"Hermione!" Draco yelled at her, his voice dripping with pleading. She stopped where she stood. Tears welled up in his eyes. "Please," he barely choked out. "Talk to me, Mi! I'm sorry, I'm stupid! I admit it, I'm an idiot! A self-centered, pig headed, idiot!" She turned around to face him. "I don't know why I said it, I'm sorry! Mi, you've become my best friend in the past three months. Please, I don't want to loose you because I'm such a... I'm such a..." He tried to find the right word. "I'm such an asshole!" The tears that were threatening to spill over, finally did.

"Yes, you are an asshole! Even if you were only trying to keep up a charade, that was a stupid thing to do!" Tears were falling hard and fast from Draco's eyes. "I'm going to bed," Hermione said again. "I'll see you tomorrow." She turned around and stalked up the stairs to her new Dorm Room. She opened the door, walked in, and slammed the door behind her.

Malfoy watched her slam the door, and then slumped into the armchair by the fire, his head in his hands. The last time he had ever cried this hard over loosing a girl, was at the tiwns' funeral. Draco slowly climbed the stairs to his room five minutes later; figuring Hermione was already asleep, he quietly opened and closed his door. Not even bothering to change or look around the room, he curled up into a ball and cried himself to sleep.

~*~H&L~*~

After slamming the door and attempting to fall asleep without even changing, herself, Hermione dug through her personal items she brought for her new Dorm Room. She got to the bottom of her trunk and pulled out several envelopes, all with elegant handwriting spelling out her name. She crawled back up onto her four poster bed, and began to pull them out and began rereading them all.

_Hermione,_

_I'm so sorry, I don't know what to say to you; except that I hope you're okay. I know I probably should have waited for you to write, but I know how upset you were. You don't have to write back, but I just want you to know that I meant it when I said I'm here for you if you need someone... So... Yeah..._

_Draco  
_  
Hermione smiled a bit, remembering getting Draco's first letter. He had no idea how to write to her. She flipped to the next letter she had received.

_Hermione,_

_I'm glad you wrote back. I can imagine how much having to plan a funeral could drag you of energy... Let me know if you want any help, and I'll do what you say. :) I'm sure with you behind the planning, it'll be the best muggle funeral..._

_Sorry, probably not a good time to even attempt to joke..._

_Draco_

Hermione could recall clearly replying back almost two days later asking him if he was absolutely sure if he'd wanted to help her because he'd be doing a lot of using the muggle contraptions like the telephone and the internet on a computer.

_Hermione,_

_I have no idea what a telephone or an internet or a computer is; but I'll figure it out if you want me to help. I mean, maybe I can figure it out from Muggle Studies... Ha, maybe not. Well, maybe I can. Let me know._

_Draco  
_  
Hermione had to admit, he HAD done a good job, but he'd gone home after helping her plan it all out. She remembered the next letter specifically; it had been a week and a half since her parents deaths, and two days before the funerals.

Harry and Ron still hadn't been returning her owls or letters; but Ginny had been, in fact, she knew about the fact that she and Draco had been getting closer to each other, but she couldn't bring herself to talk to her parents about the funeral. Hermione understood completely; so he asked Draco to come in case she needed someone. She had even asked him to sit with her.

_Mi,_

_If you're positive you want me there, I'll be there... Right there next to you. If you run out in tears; I'll follow right behind you, I promise. I'll meet you in Diagon Alley a couple hours before the funerals. I'll see you in two days, I promise._

_Draco_

And he kept well on that promise, too. She'd already relived that memory in the carriage on the way to the Welcome Feast. But even still, she reread that same letter.

_Mi,_

_I wish I was there with you right now! I haven't heard from you in a couple days, I'm getting worried about you! I was glad that you invited me to the funeral; you could tell that you needed someone, and I'm glad it was me. I know you don't know why I'm so willing to do this for you, but maybe someday you will._

_Please write back, Mi... I'm so worried about you._

_Draco_

She smiled a bit, he'd been so worried about her; she still didn't know why he had done what he'd been doing for her. Her smile faded, as she remembered that morning; eventually not realizing she'd fallen asleep.

**A/N: Sooo, what do you think so far? How about what's going on between the two frenemies? If you can recall the conversation that morning on the train, can you guess what you're gonna read next? I want to thank all of you who are sending me feedback, and asking questions! If you're already in love with this story, you'll love it even more as it goes on! **


	4. Chapter 3: The Love

"_Jean, say hi to Hermione," Alexander Granger's voice rang out in the video._

_Jean waved to the camera. "Hi, honey! Day 3 in Aspen! We can't wait to get home! I hope the slopes are fun today."_

_Alexander laughed, and he and his wife started heading down the slope, his wife laughing along the way. "You'll be sorry you missed this trip Her-" Suddenly, the camera started shaking uncontrollably. "What the-?" Alexander turned around and yelled to his wife._

_All that she could now see was the bottom of the mountain, until it was suddenly covered by a blanket of white. She could hear her parents screams._

_Until it all stopped. The screams, the noise of the avalanche... All she saw was white. The camera stirred a bit. "Jean?" She heard faintly. She saw her father's hand move the snow in front of his face; which revealed her mother's face, frozen forever in fear. A large tree stuck out from her chest, blood covering it completely. "Jean..." Hermione heard the staggered breathing of her father's last breaths; and then the movement that the camera made stopped completely._

Hermione woke up screaming loudly, watching her parents die, again.

~*~H&L~*~

_Draco, _

_I just had the worst Nightmare ever... If I need anyone right now, it's you... And I really do need you. I can't stop crying. I woke up screaming, even Aunt Minerva couldn't calm me down this morning. If I don't hear back from you, I'll see you on the train._

_~Mi_

He reread the letter again. She'd asked for him yesterday morning. He'd woken up early for some reason; and pulled out the letters she'd written him in the past three months.

Suddenly, he heard her scream. "Mi?" She didn't stop screaming. "Mi!" Draco was out of bed in an instant, and almost breaking in the door.

She was sitting up screaming and crying. He ran over to her and gathered her up in his arms. "Shhh... It was just a dream, Mi, it was just a dream..."

Hermione clung to Draco, the tears flowing one after another from her eyes. "Daddy... Daddy, no... No... Mum... W-why?"

Draco pulled her further into his arms, holding her closer. He closed his eyes, and rested his cheek on top of her head, and breathed calmly and evenly. Her crying slowly stopped, her breathing becoming more even.

She leaned back, sniffing again. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," she whispered. She wiped the tears from her eyes.

Draco shook his head. "I was already awake," he said "Actually," he looked away from her, 'I was reading the letter you sent me yesterday after you had the Nightmare..." He looked back at her. "I'm glad I was here this time." He sighed. "Mi, I really am sorry about what I said yesterday. I shouldn't have..." Draco looked at the bed, and saw his own letters that he'd written to her. He smiled a little.

Hermione noticed him smile a bit, and looked at her bed to see what he was smiling at. "Oh!" She quickly tried to pick up the letters lying on her bed. She stopped trying to pick them up and started laughing. Draco started to laugh with her. They continued to laugh for a few minutes. Slowly, Hermione stopped laughing. "I love you, Draco!"

Suddenly, he stopped laughing. "What did you say, Mi?" Hermione completely stopped laughing, a blush beginning to rise in her cheeks. "Did you just... You said... You mean..." He couldn't finish any question that he started, because he loved her too, and he knew it.

"I mean," she started. Hermione sighed, she'd said it. And it was true. "It's true, Draco. I have ever since after the funeral. You were there for me when no one else was. And- Well, you're the only one that can calm me down." She looked at her bed.

Draco took her chin in his hand, and pulled her head up so that he could look into her hazel eyes. "Mi," he whispered before pulling her towards him to gently kiss her lips. "I love you, too."

Hermione bit her lip. "Really?" Draco nodded. She smiled, before throwing herself at him and kissing him with all the passion in her body, which he returned more than enthusiastically.

~*~H&L~*~

"Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said as Draco and Hermione sat down before him, each of their Heads of Houses sitting next to them. "Now then, there is the business of the Prefects Meetings and the upcoming, and traditional, Halloween Ball. Now, the biggest tradition is that it is up to the Head Boy and Head Girl to have the privilege of making the decision themselves if it will be a Masquerade or not."

Hermione looked at Draco. "I think it would be a great idea! If the students have a date, then they don't have to make a major deal about trying to choose which masked person to dance with."

"That," Draco continued, picking up on her thought process, "and if they go alone then they won't be able to tell which house the person is from."

"Be that if we choose to make it a rule that you are not allowed to wear your house colors."

McGonagall and Dumbledore grinned, while Snape remained emotionless. "Very well," Dumbledore said, clasping his hands together. "It will be a Masquerade Halloween Ball!"

"Fifth and up, though," Hermione said. "I think that's more than appropriate since the Christmas Ball Fourth Year was Fourth and up."

"But a Masquerade is a little more riske then that," Draco said, yet again finishing her thoughts.

"Your first meeting with the Prefects will be next Monday," Dumbledore said. "It will be up to you to let them know the time and place." Hermione and Draco nodded. "That's it, you're dismissed." Hermione stood to leave.

"Professor," Draco said. "May I speak with you and Professors McGonagall and Snape please?" Hermione turned to face him, slightly shocked. "About classes," he said a little sarcastically, which he received an eye roll from Hermione for.

"Of course," Dumbledore said. "Miss Granger?"

Hermione nodded. "I'll see you in the Commons," Draco said as she walked out the door. They all waited a moment until Draco was sure she was out of earshot. "Professors, it you don't know already, this is not about my classes...

**A/N: Ohhh... Cliff Hanger! I think honestly the best one yet... So, whatchya think? What IS Malfoy going to talk to the Professors about? Thanks for reading! :D ~ambz**


	5. Chapter 4: The Promise

**A/N: Sooo, here is Chapter 4! This chapter, I'm choosing to dedicate to my most enthusiastic reader who's becoming a great friend: Katie - Lyn Della Robia! I love you, girl!**

_Hermione smiled, her head on his chest still. She sighed. "I always knew you were good on the inside, Draco," she said. He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "I never really thanked you for everything you've done the past couple months."_

"_Don't worry about it, Mi," he said quietly. "I would have done anything for you that day." He seemed quieter than usual. _

"_Penny for your thought?" she whispered._

"_I was just thinking about everything and one around is," he said, barely audible; Hermione had to strain to hear him. "About what everyone will say, how they will react..."_

"_Your parents..." she said, not even wanting to think about it. His father was a Death Eater, it was almost inevitable that he would be too._

"_My mother likes you, though," Draco said, a laugh hiding in his voice. "I know what you're thinking about, though... About me being a Death Eater in the end..."_

_Hermione was silent for a moment. "But isn't it inevitable? Because you're father was one, won't you be one too?"_

_Draco shook his head. "My mother is doing everything in her power to keep me from it..." He sat up and looked her directly in the eye. "I promise you, Mi, I will __never_ _follow the Dark Lord; no mark, no nothing."_

_Hermione smiled a bit, and kissed him lightly on the lips. "We'll miss lunch if we don't leave now," she said. "I'll see you in the meeting." She kissed him again before bounding down the stairs and out the Common Room towards the Great Hall._

~*~H&L~*~

"Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall said. "You're quite positive you want to do this?" Draco nodded, but Snape spoke before he had a chance to.

"Minerva," he said, speaking for the first time, "Narcissa has been trying to do everything she can to keep them away from Draco. It will only last for so long." He looked at Dumbledore. "I see the way Draco looks at Miss Granger. Albus, if I could have done this for Lily, I would have; you know it's true. You helped me when my life was in grave danger, now I ask you to help Draco. I made the Unbreakable Vow to Narcissa that I would help her protect Draco from his father and the Dark Lord."

McGonangall and Draco stared at Snape; they couldn't believe what he was saying. Dumbledore just simply "You state a very well thought out case, Severus. No doubt in my mind had Mr. Malfoy not come forward himself, you would have said something?" Snape lowered his eyes, it was the truth; he would have said anything to keep Draco safe. "Very well," Dumbledore said. "Minerva, you and Mr. Malfoy will discuss and plan. Severus, you have a new partner; you must keep him safe and off of Voldemort's radar of possible traitors. And Mr. Malfoy," Draco looked up, "you must not tell anyone about this; not even Miss Granger."

Draco nodded. "I made her a promise that I wouldn't follow in my father's footsteps. What should I tell her if she asks?"

"You tell her it's taken care of," McGonagall said. "And if I know my niece, she will then come to me and we will go from there."

"Minerva is right, you must keep her safe. That's why you are doing this," Snape said, putting a hand on Draco's shoulder. he knew his favorite teacher was right. Hermione couldn't know anything...

~*~H&L~*~

The dinner owl post came in. Ginny and Ron received a letter from Bill and Fluer, who were on their Honeymoon; and Remus had sent Harry photos of his godson and a letter telling him how Teddy was just like Harry.

A beautiful snowy owl, almost like Hedwig, landed in front of Hermione. "Oh!" She took the box that the owl had set in front of her and opened up the piece of parchment attached.

_Hermione,_

_I made you a promise that I intend to keep. I also promise you that I will love you forever, Mi... Nothing will happen to you as long as I am still living and breathing._

_Forever yours._

Ginny read the letter over her shoulder and smiled, she knew exactly who it was from. Hermione turned to her and smiled also.

"Well," Ginny said. "Don't just sit there! What's in the box? What did you get?" Hermione laughed a bit at the eagerness of her best friend.

When she opened the box, there was a Sterling Silver heart necklace, with an emerald in the center of the heart. She held it up, and flipped it over to see the words _Forever and Always_ engraved on it.

She opened the locket, only to find that it could open into a Four Leaf Clover, holding four photo spaces. She smiled. "It's so beautiful," Ginny said. "That must have cost a lot! Not like it would be a big problem." She laughed a bit, as did Hermione.

~*~H&L~*~

Across the Great Hall, Draco was also receiving mail. It was from a tawny school owl, but it was mail none-the-less. He opened the piece of parchment.

_Draco,_

_You made me a promise today; and all I could do was happily accept it that promise. I felt terrible because I realize that while you promised to protect me, there was nothing I could do to give you a promise like that._

_But after I thought about it in the Commons before dinner, I realized that there is a promise that I can make to you; forever and always. My promise to you is that I will love you and only you forever and always, for the rest of my life._

_You've been there for me when no one else was; you make me laugh and you haven't really done anything at all._

_I love you; and I'm forever yours.  
_  
Draco read and reread the note grinning. He looked up at Hermione, just as she opened her gift. He watched her face light up, and even smiled at Ginny's reaction. Hermione looked up and caught Draco looking at her. She looked back at Ginny and said something to her. Draco quirked an eyebrow at her; until he noticed Ginny take the locket, and put it around Hermione's neck.

Suddenly, Draco couldn't wait until he was in the Head's Commons with her. "So, did you really think I didn't know, Draco?" He looked at Pansy with a puzzled look on his face. Pansy rolled her eyes at him. "I know that you've been there for her since her parents died. Ginny knew because Hermione trusted her. Why didn't you trust me, Draco?"

He started to respond, but stopped. He thought about how he thought that she would flip. "I was... Afraid," he said tentatively. "I wasn't sure how you would react. Surprisingly, mum was quite calm about it; she likes Mi. We never told father, though..."

"Your best bet would to not say anything," Pansy said. She sighed. "I wish you had said something... I actually think that she's lucky to have had you to confide in." Pansy looked down. "I've actually liked her. But because of the whole Slytherin/Gryffindor thing, we were never really friends... Anyways, I think it's sweet, Draco. You've been a lot different since you two have been friends; and they're good changes." She smiled. "I promise, I want to be friends with her; and I want to see you happy. You're my best friend, Draco."

**A/N: OMG, I think that's another, slightly less severe cliff-hanger! So, what's Pansy gonna do now? Have you figured out yet what Draco's done?**


	6. Chapter 5: The Secret

**A/N: Warning: Be prepared to possibly cry, as you probably did when you read her Nightmare...**

Hermione sat in the library; classes had started, the first Prefects meeting had been and gone smoothly, and Draco and her were as in love as ever. But today was Saturday, and he was at Quidditch practice.

"Hey, Hermione!" Hermione looked up to see Pansy Parkinson standing right in front of her. "Studying?"

Hermione quirked an eyebrow. "Pansy? You're talking to me? Hmmm..." She pinched herself. "Ow! Well, defiantly not dreaming..." She looked up at Pansy. "Sooo... What can I help you with?"

"It's Saturday, come take a break," she said to Hermione. "Let's go down to the lake!" Hermione was slightly skeptical, but obliged willingly; and gathered her books, following Pansy out to the lake.

They walked along in silence for ten minutes, before Hermione finally said something. "Okay, so... Why did you want to take a walk with me?"

Pansy sighed. "I know that Ginny knows about you and Draco. I'm his best friend; he didn't tell me, I figured it out." Pansy looked at Hermione. "I know for a while you didn't know why he was there for you when your parents died. Has he told you yet?"

"No," Hermione sighed. "He keeps telling me that he hopes I'll understand someday. I haven't figured out if he wants me to figure it out, or if he's gonna tell me!"

Pansy sighed. "I honestly believe that you should know. There's several things you should know." She smiled. "One is that I've actually wanted to be your friend since first year. But the whole Slytherin/Gryffindor thing kinda killed that."

"Really?" Hermione said. "You know, you seemed really nice too... And then after sorting you... Well, you kinda became a bitch." By now, the girls had walked to the Quidditch Pitch. They climbed the stairs, and sat down together, watching Slytherin (and Draco) practice.

"And two, nobody knows this but, Draco had two twin sisters that were younger than him by about three years." Pansy sighed, looking at her hands before looking back up at Hermione. "Right before Third Year, there was an accident at the Manor..."

~*~H&L~*~

"_Draco! Draco!" Draco flinched. He loved the twins dearly, but sometimes..._

"_Yes, girls?"He said, lovingly. He turned around to see spitting images of their mother at ten-years-old. "What is it?"_

"_Draco, we're bored... When is mummy going to be home? She was going to take us out today," Hermia, and Draco's favorite of the two twins, said. The two girls looked identical except for their eyes; Hermia's were a beautiful Hazel color, with a tint of Silver. Helena's were straight Silver. Narcissa Malfoy __loved_ _Shakespeare, as did her son; her favorite play being __A Midsummer Night's Dream__, her favorite characters, of course, were Helena and Hermia._

_Draco smiled. "They'll be home soon. Why don't you go play tag in the Garden Maze? Or even Hide-and-Seek?"_

"_Yeah!" Helena and Hermia yelled together. They swiftly kissed their brother on the cheeks (Hermia on his right, Helena on his left), and ran from the room._

_Draco laughed, watching the girls leave in excitement, trying to figure out who would be "it" first. After they left, he went back to what he was doing; trying to write a letter to a beautiful girl anonymously._

_Just as he finally finished the letter, for what seemed like the thousandth time, Trinkey apparated into his room next to him. "Yes, Trinkey?" Draco said, looking at the House Elf._

_Trinkey was slightly flustered. "Master Draco," she squeaked out quickly. "The guest house is on fire, sir!" Draco stood up to walk downstairs; it was only the guest house. "Master Draco, sir, why aren't you rushing?"_

"_It's just the guest house, Trinkey," he said nonchalantly. "It's not like-"_

"_Master Draco, sir, your sisters are in there! None of us can get in there, sir!"_

_Draco's eyes grew wide. He bolted from the room. Last thing he knew, both girls were in the Hedge Maze playing. In a matter of minutes, he was downstairs and out the backdoor._

"_Hermia! Helena!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. Draco pulled out his wand. "Auguemente!" He quickly put out the fire, but the guest house was already to the ground; the twins no where in sight. "Hermia! Helena!" he choked out through the tears streaming down her cheeks._

"_Draco?" Narcissa Malfoy called. "Draco, where are you?" He turned from the guest house, and trudged back to the house. No sooner had he entered the door, did his mother call out again. "Draco? Hermia? Helena? Where are you?" She turned around just as Draco came around the corner, his face tear stained. "Draco? What's wrong?" Narcissa ran to her son. She looked around. "Where are your sisters?" A fresh wave of tears came to Draco's eyes; he couldn't bring himself to tell his mother what had happened._

"_T-T-T-Trinkey..." he stuttered in a whisper. Trinkey apparated beside Draco and bowed. She looked up at him, with tears in her eyes. She had been there the day the twins were born, she was their favorite House Elf. Draco nodded. _

_Trinkey looked at the floor. "M-M-Miss Narciss-ssa... M-M-Master L-Luicias..." Narcissa bent down to the House Elf's level, encouraging her to go on. "... Don't know what caused... It was too much... Couldn't put it out... Miss Hermia... Miss Helena... Hedge Maze... Guest House... Couldn't get in... M-Master Draco tried..." Suddenly, Trinkey burst into tears._

_Narcissa looked up at Draco. "Draco, where are your sisters?" Draco burst into tears again, and Narcissa ran out to see the guest house. She came back in. "How did it happen?"_

"_Trinkey doesn't know, Miss... No one knows..."_

"_Mum, the last time I saw them, they were in the Hedge Maze chasing each other," Draco said. "I-I don't know what happened..." He sank into the chair nearest to him. "It's my fault... It's all my fault..." _

_Narcissa knelt next to her son, and hugged him. "It's not your fault, Draco... It was an accident..."_

~*~H&L~*~

Hermione sat in shock beside Pansy. "A fire?" Hermione barely whispered.

Pansy nodded. "He still blames himself," she told her. Hermione looked at Pansy, the tears beginning to spill over. "On the train, when he left to 'go see Snape', he was trying to find me. He looked upset, and then he started crying about Hermia and Helena."

Hermione gasped. "It was because I told him about my Nightmare..."

"What Nightmare?" Pansy tilted her head slightly to the right.

"My dad had a camera attached to him so that they could show me what I missed in Aspen... When they showed me the video, I watched my parents die," she said. She looked at Pansy.

"And he watched the twins die," she said, finishing Hermione's thought. She sighed. "No wonder he was so upset!" Pansy looked back at Hermione. "You know, I did yell at him for calling you a... You-know-what... I knew he was your friend. And Ginny only confirmed it when she ran off after him, no doubt to tell you what he said." She smiled at Hermione. "You know, I know why he's attracted to you." Hermione looked at Pansy. "Your eyes are the same color as Hermia's, and if he didn't call you Mi, one of your other nicknames could just as easily be Hermia. I'm actually surprised he hasn't slipped and called you that yet."

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a different voice. "Well, well, well... You two are actually getting along! Wow." The girls looked at Draco, who was hovering on his broom next to them. His smile faded, when he saw the look in Hermione's eyes. He got off his broom there on the stands. "Mi, what's wrong?"

She threw herself into his arms. "I understand now, Draco," she whispered. "I'm so sorry. I... I never knew..." Draco was confused at first, and then realization hit him about what she was talking about. He looked at Pansy, who shrugged her shoulders and gave him a "Don't look at me" look. Hermione pulled away from him, and stroked his cheek. "Oh, Draco, why didn't you tell me?"

He looked down. "I don't know... You were going through so much already, I didn't want to upset you even more." She took her hand, and lifted his head up so she could look into his eyes. "I'm sorry, Mi, I should have told you..." She put her finger to his lips; once he hushed, she removed her finger.

"It's okay, Draco," she said. She kissed him lightly on the lips. "I understand." She hugged him again. He looked up at Pansy and mouthed "thank you" to her. She waved it off, Hermione needed to know and she had helped him tell her.

"Well," he said, pulling away from Hermione and picking up his broom. "Since it IS a Saturday, and in fact it's actually a Hogsmade Saturday, why don't I take my two girls to lunch at The Three Broomsticks?"

"But, Draco, what about what everyone will think?" He shrugged.

"Who cares?" Pansy and Draco laughed, as did Hermione; a little nervously...

**A/N: So, what did you think? Are Pansy and Hermione actually friends? And what's going to happen when everyone sees our couple? How do you think Hermione will react if Draco accidentally calls her Hermia?**


	7. Chapter 6: The Revelation

" Is that-"

"Draco Malfoy-"

"And Hermione Granger?" The Patil twins and Lavender Brown were looking at the door of The Three Broomsticks. "With Pansy Parkinson..." The three girls were sitting with Harry, Ron, and Ginny.

Ginny gasped slightly. "Oh no," she whispered, running over to her best friend. "Hermione, Draco, what are you guys doing?" Her eyes were darting all over the place. "You DO know you're in a public place full of PLENTY of Hogwarts students, including Harry and Ron?"

Smiling, Pansy leaned over to whisper into Ginny's ear. "Apparently, they don't care anymore." Ginny looked quizzically at Pansy, not realizing she knew. Pansy leaned back, seeing the look on the girl's face. "Yeah, I didn't really know, I just kinda figured it out." She smiled at the youngest Weasley, who smiled back.

"How about I join you guys," Ginny asked the three of them. Hermione and Pansy looked at Draco who also smiled.

"Well, you're _my_ girl's best friend, so I think that gives me three girls, doesn't it?" He looked at Hermione still smiling. "I've gotta buy my three girls lunch, don't I?" Pansy, Hermione, and Ginny laughed as they all sat at a table together.

~*~H&L~*~

"Oi! What the hell was that about?" Ron and Harry had seen the ordeal that had gone on in front of the door, and watched Ginny walk off with Hermione, Malfoy, and Parkinson.

Lavender, who was leaning against her boyfriend, looked up at Ron from his shoulder. "You didn't notice?"

"Notice what, sweetie?" Ron said, looking at her.

"Malfoy and Granger were holding hands," Padme piped up. "I think they're dating!" Parvarti nodded, and the three girls plunged into a world of gossip over the Slytherin Prince and the Gryffindor smarts.

"No," Ron practically whispered, whipping his head around to see the four students sit down; Draco lazily threw his arm around Hermione's shoulder. Ginny said something that made Draco give a hearty laugh, making Hermione flash a flirty smile towards him.

Harry also looked over and saw the exchange. His face began to get as red as Ron's hair. "WHAT?" Harry exclaimed, making the three girls and Ron jump. Before Ron could stop him, Harry jumped up and was storming over to the table the four sat at. When he got to the table, he slammed his fist onto it, making the four of them jump. "Ginny! Hermione! What the bloody hell do you think you're doing? Sitting with two Slytherins, first off; and Malfoy and Parkinson no less!"

Ginny and Hermione gaped at Harry. This was not the reaction they had expected from HIM; Ron, maybe, but not Harry! About that time, Ron came walking up behind Harry. "Mate, calm down," he said, putting his hand on Harry's shoulder. He turned to his sister and other best friend. "What's going on over here? Hermione, is this the reason why you turned me down?" Surprising every, Ron was quite calm.

Hermione sighed. "Yes," she whispered. She looked at Ron, since he was the one being so calm about it all. "But, you know, he was great friend for me this summer while you two were doing... Whatever."

Ron looked down. "I guess we deserve that. I'm sorry I never wrote back, but I was at the funeral."

"So was I," snapped Harry. "Ginny, what the bloody hell are you doing with _Malfoy_?" He spat the name in anger and disgust. "He's the enemy, he's a Death Eater."

"Do you give anyone a chance, Harry? Or do you just accuse?"

You MAY be my boyfriend, Harry, but you are NOT the boss of me!" Ginny was getting more and more furious as the seconds ticked by.

"Gin," Draco said, looking at the girl. "Calm down, Gin." Ginny closed her eyes and breathed, before looking at Draco and flashing him a thank you smile. Draco turned to Harry. "Potter, you need to relax! We're four friends having lunch."

Harry turned to Draco. "Malfoy, what did you do to them?" Ginny and Hermione were joined in the gaping party towards Harry. "What are they, imperiused? Is that what you did to them, Malfoy?"

"Mate, relax," Ron said, putting his on Harry's shoulder; only this time Harry shook his hand off. "Harry, what is wrong with you? You know we have no proof that he's a Death Eater, so why accuse?"

Harry shot a look at Ron that said "Shut up" and turned his attention back to Malfoy. "You want the proof then fine!" Harry yanked Draco's arm from around Hermione and yanked up his sleeve to reveal-no Mark. "_Specialis Reveilo_," Harry muttered, but nothing happened.

"Potter, if you're done, may I have my arm back please?" Draco quirked his eyebrow at Harry.

Harry got even more upset. "He's just not high enough in the ranks to have the mark yet, but he is one."

Hermione stood up. "That's IT! Harry, I am absolutely DONE with your accusations of Draco! Come on, Pansy. Let's go get lunch elsewhere. Gin, you coming too?"

"Ginny, don't you dare," Harry started to warn.

"No, Harry, don't YOU dare! We're through!I'm so tired of you acting like our relationship is perfect, and I'm not allowed to have other guy friends! I'm tired of your bullshit! I'm tired of your controlling, I'm done. Were over! For good!" Ginny ran out after her three friends.

Harry stood there dumbstruck, he had just lost Ginny. The love of his life, and his best friend. While Harry stood there, Ron shook his head and left to head back to the school with Lavender and the Patil twins.

_Wow, _Harry thought. _Maybe Hermione __was_ _right! Malfoy isn't actually a Death Eater. Maybe he'll actually be smart and join our side... Smart and chicken anyways..._

~*~H&L~*~_  
_

_I'm so glad I haven't been called to get the Mark yet. That would have been terrible if Mi had seen it! Especially after I promise her I'd never get it..._

_I can't believe that I still should have to get it, that stupid blasted thing! _He sniffed, wiping away a tear before walking back out of the boy's lavatory. _I don't want it, so why should I? I'm not protecting anyone if I get it..._

_I just have to keep it hidden until the Dark Lord is defeated, and then it will just disappear..._

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this one up! I had a serious case of writers block, and then had to talk to a friend to figure out the twist in this chapter! It's kinda short, but it's HUGE! They're out in the open now, and tables start turning. Tell me what you think! I'm in the middle of writing Chapter 7 right now, but I'll need some ideas for later. This one WILL have a sequal that will take place outside of Hogwarts, and there's gonna be a lot more twists and turns...**


	8. Chapter 7: The Realization

Draco, Hermione, Ginny, and Pansy sat in the Head's Commons after the eventful day. Ginny sat between Pansy and Hermione, who were comforting her; Draco stood behind her, messaging her shoulders (on order of Hermione) while trying to calm her down. Ginny was in tears, her face was blotchy, and the streaks from the tears that had been flowing down her cheeks were clearly visible.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door to their room. Draco stepped away from the girls to open to their Commons, only to discover a breathless Blaise Zabini. "What are you doing here?" Draco asked, looking at his friend quizzically.

"Wh-where is she?" Blaise stumbled in the door past Draco. "Gin? Ginny?" Ginny turned around. Blaise's face relaxed a bit. "Oh, Gin!" Ginny, still in tears, got up from the couch and ran into Blaise's arms. "Gin, I just heard what happened. Are you okay? I told you he wasn't good for you!"

"I know, Blaise, I know!" Ginny was now sobbing into Blaise's shoulder while Hermione, Draco, and Pansy stood dumbfounded by the sight in front of them. "I just... I just got so sick of him bossing me around and a-accusing people of being Death Eaters! He's so p-paranoid! I-I'm surprised th-that he hasn't started a-accusing y-you of b-being o-one..." Blaise closed his eyes, resting his cheek on top of her head.

"What did I tell you months ago, Gin? When we first were talking about what had been going on then? I told you just because I was your friend, I wouldn't do it, just for you, Gin." Blaise smiled at her, which she unknowingly returned.

Ginny pulled away from Blaise's shoulder, nodding. "I know," she said. She looked up into his grey eyes. "Blaise?" Before she could say another word, he swooped down and pressed his lips to hers. The shock on Pansy, Hermione, and Draco's faces became greater. Ginny leaned her body into Blaise's, who tightened his grip around her waist; their bodies molding perfectly together, just like Hermione's and Draco's. After a moment, their very deep kiss ended and they pulled apart looking into each other's eyes.

Hermione and Pansy both let out a gasp; Ginny and Blaise whipped around, forgetting where they were and who they were with. Blaise's arms were still around Ginny's waist, and she buried her head into Blaise's shoulder; but Hermione could see her best friend blushing, anyways. Draco's jaw was dropped, his best friend and the youngest Weasley? "What's with you two?" Draco finally broke the silence that was lingering.

Blaise began to blush. "Well, it started back at the end of last year," he said. "I was passing by an empty classroom on the third floor corridor, after dinner one night, and I heard crying. After I realized it was Ginny, I started to leave; but she looked really upset, so I shocked both her and myself when I asked her what was wrong." He grinned at Ginny.

"It-it was right right after that big fight Harry and I had," she said quietly. "Blasie sat there with me as I told him what happened, and that I was afraid of loosing Harry. But, he kept telling me that I wouldn't loose him, and we'd be okay."

"I and her laughing in no time," Blaise said proudly. Ginny laughed a bit, and Blaise's face fell. "But, I was right, she didn't loose him. They were back together before we left on the train to go home. But we kept meeting in that classroom after dinner, and we became friends." He sighed and faced Hermione. "She really did feel bad about not being able to be there for you as a really good best friend after your parents died this summer." Hermione looked at Ginny, slightly upset and slightly confused. "I'm really sorry about what happened," he said quietly. Her eyebrows raised at that.

"We wrote all summer," Ginny said, smiling. "I felt so terrible, he knew something was wrong, and he said if it was Harry he was gonna kill him. So, I had to explain." Hermione nodded, understanding now. "We've just become really good friends." Ginny smiled at Blaise, and he quickly and lightly kissed her lips again. "And then during Harry's and my last fight right after school started-"

"-we met up, and I told her how I felt about her," Blaise said. "And she told me that she felt the same, but she was with Harry. I told her I understood and I would be her friend as long as she needed me." He looked back at Ginny. "Then I heard Brown and the Patils gossiping about what happened today." He sighed, and pulled her closer to him, putting his forehead against her's and closing his eyes. "I knew exactly where you'd be," he whispered. "Are you okay?"

She smiled a bit, nodding at him. "I am now," she said to him. She kissed him again quickly. "Blaise," she said, looking into his eyes. "I have no intention of taking Harry back; he's done too much to deserve me back."

Pansy turned to Hermione and Draco. _I'm gonna go_, she mouthed. They nodded and she quickly and quietly left; she was going to go hunt down Potter for making Ginny cry. Neither Ginny nor Blaise noticed what happened, they were in their own world. "Be with me," Blaise said quickly. "Please, Gin, you've like me for a while; you admitted it yourself. I will never hurt you, I promise." Ginny grinned, and kissed Blaise passionately and deeply.

Hermione smiled, walking up to her best friend after they broke apart. "So," she said, startling them. "You kept your friendship a secret?" Ginny blushed a bit. Hermione wasn't mad, just a little upset. Especially cause Ginny knew about her and Draco.

"I'm sorry, 'Mione! It's just," Ginny stopped for a second. "It's just that, Blaise and I became friends long before you and Draco; and we didn't know how you two would react. But we actually were talking about telling you soon!"

Hermione smiled. "If you're happy, that's all I care about," she told her best friend. Ginny smiled, and hugged Hermione, before turning around and kissing Blaise again.

~*~H&L~*~

"I'm really happy for them," Draco said later. No one had known exactly where Pansy had gone, but they knew they'd find out later. Hermione snuggled next to Draco, smiling. "I knew Blaise was falling for someone, but I never would have thought it was Ginny!" He looked down at Hermione, only to see that she had fallen asleep.

There was a tapping on the window, and Draco quietly and carefully sat Hermione on the couch, going to the window to let the owl in. It dropped the letter it was holding at Draco's feet and left.

Draco picked it up, seeing it was Blaise's handwriting. He opened the letter, and quickly read it.

_Draco,_

_Mine and Ginny's friendship isn't the only thing I didn't tell you about. This secret was something that only Ginny knew._

_I hate to say that I didn't trust you, but I didn't with this secret; only because I thought you were going to follow your father. But seeing you the past couple weeks as well as today, I can trust you. I don't want to follow Voldemort, and by the way you've been acting, you did something about it. Meet me in the front of the Great Hall in fifteen minutes. Please, Draco; you're my best friend. I finally realized what's made you so happy. I think I found it too._

_Please help me.._

_~Blaise_

Draco looked over at a sleeping Hermione, he joined the Order to protect Hermione, now Blaise wanted the same thing for Ginny. They were trying to protect the love of their lives. He smiled, thinking about what had gone on that day; then he realized just how dangerous this was going to be.

**A/N: So, I know that this was more about Ginny and Blaise than Hermione and Draco, but this chapter was a combination of a filler chapter, and an important chapter. There may not have been much, but there's info from this one that will actually be very important in the next couple of chapters. **


	9. Chapter 8: The Danger

**A/N: I am SOOO sorry that it took me so long to get this up! I feel so terrible! I had this major writers block, then the computer was a brat, then I had to move and I'm still in the process of unpacking... THEN after I set up my computer in the apartment we started having internet issues, and cause of that I went back and started proofreading and correcting and once I got everything fixed I tried to update but the stupid Clubhouse computer wouldn't let me... THEN when my best friend came over today so I could use his laptop I found out that it wasn't the Clubhouse computer but my FILES because I copied them directly from my desktop instead of converting them so they were all still password protected! GAH!**

**So, I went back and made corrections to all my previous chapters and here and there added a little bit. So, feel free to reread everything. I promise, I'm not one of those authors who says "review or I won't update" I hate that! I just couldn't update due to writers block and then the computer! :(**

**Okay, one more thing before I end this really long A/N; I decided that I need to kick up the drama in my story a bit... So I added a twist right at the end of the chapter, but there's a reference to it a little bit before hand in about the middle of the chapter. ShadowOfTheNight101 was over here earlier and flipped out when she read it! LOL, I thought it was kinda funny. So, without further ado: Hurt and Love Chapter 8, The Danger.  
**

"I'm glad you came," Blaise said. "I don't know what to do, I don't want the Mark, I don't want to join ranks, and I definitely don't want to be like my _father_!" Blaise began to cry. "I just can't do it, Draco! I just can't! I've wanted to be with Ginny for a while, but I don't want to put her in danger!"

Draco sighed, watching his best friend sink to the floor in tears. He kneeled down nest to him. "You're right," he whispered, "I did find a way out. But I still have to get the Mark." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I can't tell you what I did-"

"Please, Draco," Blaise was trying not to yell. "I don't want to be in this position anymore! I... I _love_ her, Draco!" Draco looked down into his best friend's eyes, seeing his face completely tear streaked. He ran his hand through his hair agian.

"I didn't tell you this," Draco whispered. "Go to Dumbledore. He may use Veritisum on you to make sure your intentions are pure and true. He will protect you, but like I said, they will tell you to get the Mark; you will be a spy." He sighed. "You will not be allowed to tell anyone, not even Ginny." He wiped away a tear. "Not even Hermione knows." Blaise nodded a bit. "It's so hard not to tell her, especially because I told her that I wouldn't get the Mark. You need to hide the Mark from Ginny if you told her that, too." Blaise nodded again. "And I didn't send you."

"I'll go right now," Blaise said. Both boys stood up. "I'll owl you later or we'll talk in the morning." Draco and Blaise gave each other "man hugs" and went seperate ways.

Draco walked back to the Head's Common Room, thinking more and more about how dangerous this would be; three spies, and two families that would be disgraced if ever discovered.

He ran his hand through his hair again, this would not be easy. He couldn't even guarantee that Dumbledore would even help Blaise; but he had faith in the old man. He mumbled the password and walked in, seeing Hermione still fast asleep on the couch. He picked her up, and carried her to her room. He set her on the bed, and watched her peacefully sleeping face. Deciding not to leave her, he layed down on her bed next to her, and fell asleep.

~*~H&L~*~

"Mr. Zabini," Dubledore said. "You are not the first to come to me with this request." Blaise looked at his lap, he couldn't let Dumbledore know that Draco had told him. "However, just like the last two people who have, I see the pureness of your request in your eyes." His head shot up as he looked at his Professor. "So, if who I believe told you, did indeed tell you; then you know what can and can not be done."

"Yes, sir," he said quietly. "But won't they know?"

"No," the Headmaster replied. "They will not because, unlike Severus, you will not be meeting with us when we have meetings. Severus, Minerva, and I will meet with you both separately from the Order meetings." Blaise nodded, understanding that they were taking all precautions necessary. Suddenly, there was a quiet knock. "come in, come in," he said.

"Albus, could this not wait until morning?"

"Yes, Albus, you know I never complain but I do have a double NEWTs class directly after breakfast in the-" Blaise turned around as both Professors at the door stopped dead as the door clicked shut. "Mr. Zabini?" McGonagall said, quite shocked.

Snape's eyes widend as well. "Albus, surely this can't be another? We will have to turn them away if anymore come to us," he said cooly, trying to keep the surprise from his voice.

"I assure you both, we will not have anymore coming to seek help from the Order," Dumbledore replied. "When I heard of what happened in Hosgmade this afternoon, I was not surprised to find Mr. Zabini at my door tonight. I have heard of the budding friendship between Mr. Zabini and Miss Weasley."

"Weasley?" McGonagall and Snape said simultaneously.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, Miss Weasley. And Mr. Zabini has taken a page out of Mr. Malfoy's book and is looking for protection of his mother, and the girl he loves. Severus, something you are familiar with?" Snape nodded, thinking of Lily; while Blaise quirked an eyebrow at his Potions master. "Mr. Zabini, return to your dorm; I will let you know of a meeting between Severus, you, Mr. Malfoy, and myself before holidays."

Blaise stood up, wiping away the never ending tears. "Thank you, Professor," he whispered, nodding to Snape and McGonagall before leaving.

After the door had shut completely, Snape turned to Dumbledore. "You had expected Blaise, Albus?"

"Yes, I knew when Mr. Malfoy came to us that there would only be one more to come also," he replied. "The two of them are close, are they not?"

"Like brothers, ever since they were little. I am Godfather to both of them, though very little is asked on Blaise's behalf, more-so from Narcissa of Draco."

"Mr. Zabini's mother is not one to stand against her husband, unfortunately. But will, if given the chance, leave for safety. As, I believe, you said Narcissa would also do for Mr. Malfoy's sake."

"But, Albus," McGonagall finally spoke. "Can we keep these two under the radar from Who-Know-Who with no problem? I already fear for Severus' sake that he will be caught one day." Snape looked at McGonagall, slightly shocked; that was a confession no one knew about, and after saying it she began to turn a deep scarlet color.

Dumbledore chuckled lightly, before becoming serious. "I believe that Severus has been completely safe, and these two boys will be also. They are headstrong and when their minds are made up, they are made up. Now," he said, clapping his hands. "Let us all go to bed. I will schedule that meeting between us five and alert the boys and you, Severus, as soon as possible." With a nod from each one, McGonagall and Snape turned and left the office.

Snape smiled a little, as they stood on the spiral staircase. "You care about me, Minerva?" Snape said quietly.

McGonagall cleared her throat, looking straight ahead. "Strictly for the Order, Severus," she replied, a little smirk popping up at the corner of her mouth before she turned to him. "I'm old enough to be your mother, remember?" And with that, she stepped off the staircase, leaving a stunned Snape behind her.

~*~H&L~*~

_Draco,_

_Everything is set, your initiation will take place two days before Christmas here at the Manor precisely at ten o'clock. Both you and Blaise shall apparate directly here from Hogsmade._

_ Lucius_

"Thank you for this, Draco," Dumbledore said, setting the letter down on his desk. "Severus, I trust you will be there?

"Of course, Albus," he replied. He began to speak again but stopped.

"Something you wish to say, Severus?"

Snape sighed slightly before continuing. "They have asked me to mark the boys myself," he said quietly. Both boys looked shell shocked, and McGonagall made a non audible gasp from behind her hand where she stood by the door.

"Severus, you can't!" Draco suddenly exclaimed. "you're too good for that!"

"Which is," Dumbledore began, "exactly the reason why he must. Someone must believe him to possibly be a traitor, which is perhaps the reason why he has been asked. Because they believe he is their spy, not ours; which also means that someone is beginning to suspect the truth of his alliegences."

"So, you're going to make him accept doing it?" Draco thundered back at the Headmaster.

"Draco," Snape said, quietly; putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I am accepting this because there is a special bond between the bonder and the bondee, or bondees in this case. It gives the bonder the ability to track and protect the bondee." Blaise nodded, beginning to understand what their Godfather was saying. "Do you understand, Draco?"

He sighed. "A little, yes. But I still wish it wasn't you; you have a good heart." He sighed again, running a hand through his hair. "But, at the same time, it's best for the Order if it's you rather than anyone else; like our fathers." The four people watched as Blaise visably shuddered, hoping and praying for anything but that.

"Well," Dumbledore said, "we will meet again right before the ceremony in a month. Agreed?" Everyone nodded. "Good. You are all dismissed."

Draco and Blaise ran off immediately to find their two girls and Pansy so they could spend time with them; what time they had left before they were tainted.

Snape and McGonagall headed down slowly. As McGonagall began to head the opposite way of Snape, he pulled her into the closest broom closet. "Severus!" McGonagall quietly exclaimed. "Might I remind you what I said after the initial meeting with Mr. Zabini?"

Snape nuzzled against her neck. "Now, Minerva, we all know you only make yourself look that old for the students. We both know you're not that much older than me."

"Nine years!"

He chuckled. "That does not make you old enough to be my mother. Sister, perhaps. But not my mother." He stopped muzzling her neck to pull away and wave his wand, revealing a youthful face beneath the older one the students of Hogwarts knew. "Admit it, Minerva, you practically bragged about the fact that you care about me," he said, nuzzling her neck again.

McGonagall sighed. "Fine," she said, her voice sounding younger. "I care, Severus, I always have." He chuckled against her neck, before she pushed him away slightly. "But," she continued. "That does not mean that this is not dangerous."

Snape sighed, stroking her cheek. "Minnie," he whispered. "You watched me go through a literal hell loving Lily until the day she died. I know this is dangerous, but I will not loose another love to the Dark Lord!" He sighed, clearly upset, as he ran a hand through her now chestnut brown locks.

McGonagall only managed to stare into his eyes for a moment before he had caught her lips with his in a kiss. She was shocked only for a moment, before letting hersself be wrapped in his arms. After a few moments, he broke the kiss; leaning his forehead against hers to look into her eyes. And they stayed like that for a while; lost to the nearing danger as they were lost in the love in each other's eyes.


	10. Chapter 9: The Pain

**A/N: I'm sooo sorry for not updating for so long! But this'll be a chapter to remember, and a chapter of remembering! Ha ha ha. :) As obvious by the title of the chapter, this is where things go downhill; yeah, you thought I wouldn't do that did you? Well, I had kinda planned on something going downhill but not this early actually. I only did it this early cause I was listening to a song one day and decided to incorporate it later so I had to make a few changes. That change? ... I will tell you at the end of this chapter. :) (The usual disclaimer is in effect as of now.)**

_Draco,_

_Everything is set, your initiation will take place two days before Christmas here at the Manor precisely at ten o'clock. Both you and Blaise shall apparate directly here from Hogsmade._

_ Lucius_

Hermione's hands shook as she read the now-smoothed-out-but-still-crumpled letter for a fifth time, but this time it dropped from her hands. She had found it lying next to the garbage can between the desks in the common room when she walked in from the library after classes. Draco had told her that he had practice for the upcoming Quidditch game after classes were through for the day. The portrait door swung open, but she paid no attention to the fact that there were approaching footsteps; she didn't even care who's they were until she heard her best friend's voice.

"'Mione? You okay?" Hermione turned around to face Ginny, who saw the tear streaks on her cheeks, and the fire in her eyes. "'Mione! What's wrong?" The red head ran to her best friend's side, sitting down on the couch. "You look like you've been to hell and back."

"Oh, I have, Gin," she whispered. "I have been to hell and back, and you have been too without even knowing it. I wouldn't have known it had I not found this letter," she said, holding up the letter in her hand where it was beginning to crumple yet again from her squeezing her hand closed. The young red head quirked an eyebrow not understanding. "They intended on hiding this from us, did they? And to think, Aunt Minerva had just told me that it was taken care of, that they would both be safe!" Anger radiated heavily off of the Head Girl. "Here! Read it, see for yourself Gin; they're still going through with it!" She wiped away the angry tears that were falling heavily a quickly from her eyes. Ginny took the now half-recrumpled letter from her friend and scanned it once.

"No," she whispered, scanning it again. "No, no, no!" Ginny scanned the letter three more times before the tears finally began forming. "No, it can't be true! Maybe... Maybe they just haven't told their parents yet!" Ginny dropped the letter, grabbing Hermione's hands and looking her directly into her eyes. "They just haven't refused yet, that's the problem; that's what it has to be!"

"Gin they lied to us!" Hermione yelled at the younger girl, standing up and walking a bit away from her. "Don't you get it? They're getting the Mark!" The tears that she had once tried to get rid of she finally let flow free. "They lied to us, they haven't truly changed no matter what we think no matter what they're telling us!" She flopped on the chair beside the couch with her head in her hands, crying; Ginny continued to sit in her place on the couch with silent tears slowly falling. "I can't believe this," Hermione whispered quietly. "After all that I've been through with my parents dying, I knew—I just KNEW–that he had to be setting me up when he decided to stop that day and act concerned."

"What's shaking girls? You know Hogsmade is tomorrow, right?" Pansy said walking into the Head's Common Room. She stopped dead in her tracks, seeing the two girls in the chair and on the couch. "What happened to you two? Mia, you look ready to kill someone and Gin, you look like a ghost that can't get over the fact you're dead! Not that I'm comparing you to Myrtle," she finished with a half-smirk, half-smile. Wordlessly, and not looking at Pansy, Ginny handed the letter to the other girl who scanned it just as quickly as the other two had. "No," she said quietly, "this can't be right! I know the two of them don't want the mark! I even heard them talking about a meeting they were having with Snape yesterday!" She looked at Hermione. "Mia, this can't be true—"

"Well it is," Hermione snapped. "They're lying to both of us, they never planned on getting help; it was just a ruse to get into our heads." She looked up at Pansy. "I just hope our friendship hasn't been a ruse either," she said quietly. Pansy walked over to Hermione and knelt in front of her.

"Of course it hasn't been! I meant what I said that day, I've always wanted to be your friend; your's and Ginny's! It was the whole house rivalry that stopped me." Pansy looked at the letter in her hands. "Have you talked to McGonagall yet?"Both girls shook their heads. "Go then, go see her. I'll stay here and wait for these two numskulls, alright?" Hermione looked up at her Slytherin friend.

"Alright," she replied quietly. "Let's go, Gin." Both girls stood and hugged Pansy, all three of them smiling a bit. Quietly, the two Gryffindors left through the portrait hole, Pansy looking after them.

She sighed, looking down at the letter in her hand. "Draco Lucius Malfoy and Blaise Hermes Zabini, you are both in a shit load of trouble with Pansy Grace Ann Parkinson; and you're not going to like it when you get it," she said quietly to the now empty Head's Commons.

~*~H&L~*~

"You said it was taken care of, Aunt Minerva," Hermione practically yelled at her aunt. "And then I find a letter from his FATHER of all people stating the fact that their initiation will be taking place TWO DAYS before Christmas?" Her chest was heaving as she breathed heavily, with what seemed like a waterfall of tears that just wouldn't end. Ginny sat at a desk quietly, watching her best friend speak for them both while her own tears continued to flow. "So, what, did Dumbledore turn him away? You know, he promised me something and said that he'd take care of it and then I talk to you and YOU say that it's all taken care of; so I figured that he must have gone to the Order for help, then told Blaise to also. And then all of the sudden I find this... This... PAPER that basically tells me otherwise and makes it look as though they were turned away!" Her fists slammed down on her aunt's desk. "What... Happened?"

McGonagall opened her mouth the answer but there was a knock on the door before it opened. "Oh, I'm sorry Minerva, I can come back later," the visitor said beginning to close the door.

"No!" McGonagall yelled slightly, making her visitor open the door a little wider, confused. "Miss Granger and Miss Weasley were just leaving, Severus, please come in." Snape did as he was told, as McGonagall stood up and walked around her desk to the two girls. "Hermione, Ginny, I believe we shall continue this later with the Headmaster?" She quirked an eyebrow at the two girls. "Now, I would say that it is safe to say that I believe that you should spend the evening with Miss Lovegood in the Ravenclaw Dormitories away from all of this, yes?" Both girls nodded, Hermione's a little more curter than Ginny's as she was pissed off with her aunt, and began to walk to the door. "I will owl you when we will continue this." She shut the door behind both girls, locking it before turning around and removing her concealment charm while looking at Snape, tears beginning to form in her own eyes for the first time since she had seen her niece that night. "Oh, Severus," she cried, burying her face into his shoulder.

"Minnie," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "How did they find out?" McGonagall looked up at him confused, her curiosity shining brightly in her eyes. "I heard the whole thing form the other side of the door," he said a little guiltily. "You really should have put a Silencing Charm on when they walked in; I was mere steps behind them." McGonagall nodded, before looking at the ground.

"It ap-appears your Godsons were a little reckless; Draco threw the letter he brought to the last meeting away in a garbage bin in the Common Room instead of his room, and when Hermione was picking up discarded pieces of parchment, she found it next to the bin instead of IN it." She buried her face in his shoulder again. "She knows everything, and I can't even explain it to her; she must hate me now!" McGonagall began to sob into his shoulder.

Snape tightened his arms around McGonagall and held her close. "No, she doesn't hate you, she hates the fact that she doesn't know what's going on." She continued to sob into his shoulder as he rested his cheek on top of her head. "It will take her some time, but it will all be okay, Minnie. I promise." Sobs wracked from McGonagall's chest as she nodded slightly into his shoulder. He tightened his arms around her even more. "We'll be safe, I promise." He sighed, kissing her forehead before resting his chin on top of her head. "I love you," he whispered quietly.

~*~H&L~*~

Both boys walked into through the portrait into the Head's Common Room laughing. "Mate, I thought you were gonna kill Nott for that! I mean, it's one thing to do it in a game but against his own teammate at practice?" Blaise laughed even harder.

"I almost hexed him right off of his broom right then and there," Draco replied. Both boys turned to see Pansy, the look on her face cause them both to stop laughing. "What's up Pans? How come you're in here?" He looked around and finally noticed that Hermione and Ginny were no where in sight. "Where's Mi and Gin?"

Pansy stood up from the couch, walked over to both boys and smacked Draco across the face so hard that you could hear the _whoosh_ before the _crack_ of her hand against his face; he stood there stunned while Blaise tried to hold in his laughter, until she hauled off and smacked him in the same manner with the _whoosh_ and the resounding _crack_ both. They looked at her incredulously, both stunned and shocked as well as a little confused. "You numbskulls! You idiots! You are COMPLETE imbeciles! I though I knew you both better than this"-she held up the letter-"but apparently NOT! How could you do this to them? Do you know Mia actually thought that even MY friendship with her was bogus! But, thankfully, she has that knack of knowing when someone is lying to her when she looks into their eyes and she saw the truth in mine!" Pansy's chest was heaving as she hauled off and smacked both boys again. Suddenly, she looked at the clock and then the portrait. "They should have been back by now," she said quietly to herself. She glared at the boys again. "You two better think about this and about what you plan on telling them tomorrow if they even speak to you!" With that, she threw the letter at the boys and stalked out of the Head's Commons and towards McGonagall's office to find her two friends who should have returned.

After Pansy left, the two boys looked at each other, massaging their jaws. "What was _that_ about? I don't even know what she meant!" Draco looked down at their feet and saw the piece of parchment. Picking it up, he uncrumpled it and briefly caught what it said before his eyes widened to the size of saucers. "SHIT!"

Blaise jumped a bit. "What is it, mate?" He looked over Draco's shoulder before realizing what he held in his hands. He groaned. "Oh no," he said. "Please don't tell me that Mia and Gin found that..." Draco sighed.

"I think they might have," he said quietly. He sighed again before crumpling up the letter-yet again-and throwing it in the fire. "I just KNEW I should have burnt it when we got back!" Draco kicked a chair sitting at their personal dining table, which tumbled backwards. "Damn it!" He turned away from his best friend, not wanting him to see him cry. Draco furiously wiped away the tears that were falling without his permission. He looked up at the mantle on the fireplace and saw the photo that was of the five of them-Pansy, Blaise, Ginny, Hermione, and him-laughing and waving; every once in a while either he or Blaise would lean over and kiss Ginny or Hermione on the cheek. And Pansy would look over smiling even wider at the happiness of her two friends.

"Drake, mate, what are we gonna do?" Blaise asked quietly. "They weren't even supposed to know... Now what?" He sat down with his head in his hands. "We did all this for them, and now we're gonna loose them aren't we?" Draco strained to hear the last sentence, as Blaise practically whispered it like they were in a room full of noise and didn't want anyone else to hear.

Draco sighed, slowly walking over and sitting down beside Blaise. "God, I hope not. She's been through so much lately: her parents, my stupidity on the trian, Potter, finding out about the twins-"

"You told her about the twins?" Draco looked up to see Blaise looking at him.

"Kinda, Pansy told her for me since I couldn't find the right time to." Blaise opened his mouth as though to say "Ah" but didn't vocalize. Both boys lapsed into silence. "Well, why don't you stay here tonight? I don't think you really wanna be confronted by Pansy again tonight in the Common Room."

Blaise nodded. "Yeah, she may smack me again," he replied absentmindedly rubbing his cheek again. "God, I forgot how hard she can smack!" Draco laughed, causing Blaise to look at him. "What's so funny?"

"You think Pansy's bad? NEVER get on Mia's bad side; remember third year?" Draco subconsciously began to rub his left jaw-opposite of the one that Pansy smacked-as he always did when he began thinking about that day. "Shit, mate, I mean; she has one MEAN right hook!" Blaise was rolling on the floor laughing again.

"I... Re... Remem... ber th... that! Ha ha ha ha, I... I guess... Guess it... It was... Better than... Than hav... Ving her... Cur... Curse you! Ha ha ha ha," Blaise said in between laughs. Draco reached over and thumped him on the head, in which cause him to immediately stop laughing. "Bloody hell, mate!"

"Shut up," Draco growled, still rubbing his jaw. "I swear, I think she may have cursed that swing; it hurts just thinking about it." Blaise began to quietly have a fit of laughter again, which Draco didn't notice. Draco sighed. "Come on, mate, let's go to bed." Blaise quit laughing, and nodded, heading up the stairs.

"I'm gonna shower, mate," he said, not noticing Draco nod silently behind him.

~*~H&L~*~

Pansy frantically banged on Professor McGonagall's office door, why hadn't Mia and Ginny come back? Were they still here? She was worried, but she finally quit pounding hoping that McGonagall had heard her. "Severus," she heard a hushed whisper from the other side in an unfamiliar voice. "Get the door! It could be a student."

"And say what, Minerva?" Pansy's eyebrows raised. "Why not you?"

"Severus! I can't for... Obvious reasons—JUST GO GET THE DOOR!" Pansy's eyes bulged out of her head. First off, that wasn't Professor McGonagall's voice that she knew of, it sounded too young; and second off, what the hell did the "obvious reasons" mean? Professor Snape opened the door to see Pansy's eyebrows almost popping _off_ her head while her eyes were nearly popping _out_ of her head.

"M-Miss P-Parkinson," he stuttered a bit, slightly shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"I-I was looking for Hermione and Ginny," she said, her face not changing. "Wh-what are you doing here?" Snape visibly gulped a bit, as Pansy's already high eyebrows quirked a bit. "And what are 'obvious reasons'? You know you really should have a silencing charm on this door," she said matter of factly, her face relaxing a bit to be replaced by a slight smirk. She heard a mumbled "Shit" from the other side of the door, and her smirk only widend along with Snape's eyes.

"M-Miss Gr-Granger and M-Miss W-Weasley left and are i-in the R-Ravencl-claw Rooms tonight," he answered before gulping. "Thank you for, um, the, uh, knowledge M-Miss P-Parkins-son."

"Severurs," the younger sounding-McGonagall hissed in the background.

"Right," he said, turning red. "G-Goodnight then." Snape shut the door on her, and she heard the silencing charm before she heard nothing. She looked at the door some more, before turning and heading to the Ravenclaw tower.

They listened from the other side, and heard her finally walk away; both visibly relaxing before she smack him in the arm. "Severus!" MacGonagall yelled at him. "You didn't silence the door?" He winced slightly, looking at her as she clutched her robe around her; things were obviously getting a little heated as when he let the front of his robes go he had no shirt.

"I'm sorry, Minnie, I didn't expect anyone down here," he said, with a slight pout glittering in his eyes. "I love you," he said quietly, taking a step towards her. She smiled a bit, leaning up to kiss him. When she pulled away he smiled, before whisking her away bridal style back up to her private office; this time remembering to silence the door.

**A/N: So, basically Pansy is kind of suspicious now. Yeah, that was a quick add in. No one was really supposed to know anything until closer to the end but I decided to change that when I changed this: HERMIONE AND GINNY FOUND OUT NOW! They weren't supposed to find out until after the chapter after the chapter about them getting the Mark. But, I want them to be mad for a little while before I did the chapter with the song in it. So, until next time! :)**


	11. Chapter 10: The Fun

**A/N: OMG, I am sooo sorry it has taken me so long to update! I had FINALLY gotten this chapter finish, and my Flash Drive died. I've had it done for almost three months, and then it died. I just got all my files back yesterday and was proof reading. So, here it is... Chapter 10! :) Enjoy!**

Ginny and Hermione sat with Luna quietly in the empty Ravenclaw Common Room. They had finally stopped crying, but the trails from their tears were practically stained onto their cheeks. Luna sat holding their hands in between them both. They heard a voice from the other side of the door, and then an answer before the door said "Incorrect." Obviously, someone was trying to get in and was failing.

"HOW CAN THAT BE INCORRECT YOU STUPID BIRD? THAT WAS A GOOD ANSWER!" Hermione and Ginny looked at each other before simultaneously saying "Pansy." Smiling, Luna got up and walked towards the door.

"That it was, but it was not correct," the bird handle answered again. Pansy let out a frustrated growl before the door opened before her.

"Hello, Pansy," Luna said with a smile. Pansy's snarl quickly turned into a smile.

"Hi Luna, are Ginny and Mia in there? I wanted to stay with them after... Well, what happened." Luna smiled and nodded, before letting her in. "Hey," she said, taking Luna's place while Luna sat on the floor at Pansy's feet. "You two okay?" They both shrugged. She sighed, and then remembered the situation that she had just come from. She took in a deep breath, tilted her head back, closed her eyes and yelled at the top of her lungs: "EEEWWW! Ew, ew, ew, EEEWWW-hoo-hoo-hoo!"

Luna, Ginny, and Hermione all jumped looking up at her. "What the hell Pans?" Hermione exclaimed. "What was that for?"

"Your aunt and... And... SNAPE!" She buried her face in her hands. "I think things were getting heated before I walked up; they didn't have a silencing charm on the door and I heard her when she was telling him to get the door because of 'obvious reasons' and I think he was clutching his robes shut when he opened the door but the voice in the background didn't sound like your aunt it sounded younger-r-r-r!" Pansy practically cried, raising her head a bit. "I have NO idea what was going on but EEEWWW! I THINK I'M GONNA BE SIIICK!" Pansy once again buried her head in her hands.

Hermione quirked an eyebrow. "Hey, Gin, you wanna get your mind off tonight like I do?" Ginny nodded while rubbing Pansy's back, trying to get her to calm down. Hermione smirked. "Well then, I say let's check this out." Pansy's head shot up, a horrified look upon it.

"Oh please, sweet Merlin, NO! I don't want to imagine it again!" Pansy squealed. Hermione smirked in a very Slytherin-ish way, and she groaned. "She's gonna make us anyways, isn't she?" Pansy said looking at Luna and Ginny, who nodded.

"Oh, come on! It'll be fun," she replied. Luna perked up a little bit, smiling.

"It'll be perfect blackmail," she said, for once not in the dreamy voice she normally spoke with. The other three stopped and looked at her with wide eyes. Luna looked at the three of them expectantly. "What?"

"You-you just said we'd use it for blackmail!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Yes, and... ?"

"But... But... You're LUNA!"

"And you're Pansy," she replied.

"Luna," Hermione said, "I didn't know you were like that."

"Oh, I'm normally not," she replied. "But this is a teacher who's also you're aunt, Hermione." She smiled. Ginny began laughing, soon followed by Pansy. After a bit, both Hermione and Luna joined in.

"Oh, Luna, you're such a good friend," Ginny said. "Alright, 'Mione, let's go!" All four girls gave a _Whoot!_ and bounded out the door of the Ravenclaw Commons and quickly, but quietly, made their way to McGonagall's office, all of them giggling a little bit.

"Shhh," Hermione said, still giggling as they turned down the corridor to McGonagall's office. They approached the door in silent giggles. "_Alohomora,_" Hermione whispered. She poked her head in and looked around. Not seeing anyone, she motioned for the other three to follow her. All four girls walked into the deserted classroom, seeing nothing and hearing nothing. Hermione held her hand up, to signal the other three to stop. They looked around, until Ginny nudged Hermione while pointing at the office door. She stifled a laugh, tugging on Pansy's sleeve, who caught Luna's attention as they all looked at the door. The four girls approached the door quietly; Hermione put her ear to the door, but moments later shook her head to signal that she couldn't hear a thing. She silently unlocked the door, opening it without so much as a creak; that fact of which surprised them all.

None of the girls, though, were prepared for the sight before them: in a tangle of bed sheets that they must have dragged from her quarters attached to her office were none other than Snape and what had to have been a younger looking McGonagall, covered and asleep in each others arms. Resisting the urge to scream and be sick, Pansy bolted for the door to the hallway. Hermione, Ginny, and Luna did all they could not to either be sick or laugh, quickly backed out of the room (Hermione remembering to re-lock the door), and swiftly followed Pansy by bolting to the hallway. Silently and slightly gagging and/or giggling, they all ran back to the Ravenclaw Common Room; Luna opened quite quickly, which surprised the knocker. As they all tumbled through the opening, their silent retches and giggles became full on out loud retches and giggles.

"Oh, Merlin, NOOO!" Pansy squealed, rubbing her eyes while shaking her head furiously. "I didn't want to re-imagine or even SEE that! No, no, NO!"

Ginny giggled a bit. "Isn't she old enough to be his MOTHER?" This then cause Pansy to stop and look at her before squealing again and continuing to freak out even more than before. Luna giggled along with Ginny, while also trying to shake the image they saw. Hermione sat down and was thinking; she thought that she had remembered seeing a school record about a Minerva McGonagall right around the time of Snape and Harry's dad being here at Hogwarts.

_It can't be the same McGonagall, though, can it?_ Hermione thought. _That just can't be Aunt Minerva... She is... Oh, how does Caleb put it? Ah! More experienced at life, that's the phrase! But, the person we saw in her office with Snape looked a lot like that one girl I've seen in a few of her pictures... Only about eight or nine years were between her graduation date and his..._ The wheels in Hermione's head started to turn, and Ginny noticed.

"What's up, 'Mione," the younger girl said, scaring Hermione. "Sorry." Ginny flushed slightly, not realizing that she'd scare her.

"Oh, it's nothing," she said quietly, staring into the fire again; her brow furrowing slightly.

"Yeah, sure," Pansy said, "it's nothing. Then why is your brow furrowed like you're thinking?" She smirked, making Hermione roll her eyes. "So, what's on that little Gryffindor mind of yours?"

Hermione sighed. "Well, it's just that I was looking through some documents right around the time that Snape and Harry's dad and Professor Lupin were all in school," she said. "Right about the time that they started-maybe a year or two earlier even-there was a record for a Minerva McGonagall and I was just thinking-"

"OH MY MERLIN! What if it's Professor McGonagall?" Ginny suddenly exclaimed, covering her mouth while her eyes widened with slight shock. "What if she's not really as old as she makes us students think?" Hermione nodded.

"Hmmm, well, it could be possible," Luna said thinking. "Didn't she start teaching right after Professors Snape and Lupin graduated?"

"A year after, to be exact," Hermione replied. "And she looked then like she does now."

The four girls were silent for a moment, thinking. Their silence was disrupted by a slight gasp, a snap, and Pansy suddenly shouting, "Glamour Charm!" making the other three jump.

"Huh?"

"A Glamour Charm," Pansy repeated herself a little slower. "If it's the same McGonagall then she would have had to wait until all the students that knew her when she went here would have had to be gone! That would be at least two to three years after Snape graduated!" Pansy's eyes were wide with excitement as she bounced a bit in her chair. "Then that way, no one would be able to recognize her name! And she used a Glamour Charm to make herself LOOK like an old hag in case any students parents recognized it!" Pansy's face was positively glowing with glee because she figured it out.

Hermione nodded a bit. "It makes sense," she rationalized. "But, how do we _prove_ it?" Pansy's glow of glee faded and was replaced with a mischievous smirk; which did not go unnoticed by Hermione, who quirked her eyebrow.

"What are you thinking Pansy?" Pansy just grinned devilishly in reply.

"Well, I'm gonna go to bed! Luna, where's your room at?" Pansy asked, jumping up. Luna smiled, and directed the girls up to her dorm room.

Pansy's mind continued to twist and turn mischievously, trying to figure out how to put her plan into action.

Ginny and Hermione, at the back of the pack, looked at each other and then shook their heads. _Oh, Pansy,_ Hermione thought, _what do you have up your sleeve now?_


End file.
